Thermal Ecology and social thermoregulation of Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) during their moult.

Context & objectives :

Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), as auxiliaries of oceanographers, are mostly studied about their foraging behaviour in sea. However, there are very few studies about their physiological and behavioral adaptations during their life cycle’s phases on land (for moult and reproduction). Social thermoregulation by huddling is a widespread strategy of energy saving, but associated physiological and behavioral adaptations are currently less explored. This PhD work rests on the study of social thermoregulation behaviour of elephant seals during their moult. We suppose that physiological and behavioral adaptations linked to huddling during the moult may be affected by individuals’ body condition and local climate changes.

Our main objectives are to determine how elephant seals behave during the moult and cope with this energetic stress in accordance with weather conditions on land. This study will allow us to explore thermal ecology of a species facing strong energetic constrains in order to better understand how organisms are actually capable of getting used to their environment in the present context of global changes.

Many partners (CNRS UMR 7178, Strasbourg - France ; Dr. D. McCafferty, University of Glasgow - Scotland UK ; Dr. C. Guinet, CEBC CNRS Chizé – France) actively participate in this original approach which also aims for the development of a non-invasive method to evaluate energy expenditures by the use of infrared thermography.